Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-11-27
By w1LKIE COLLINS.
Il FOURTH PART.
EcoNTISURD.]
CHAPTER XVIII.

Before the end Of the week the manager
found himself in relations with the fam
ily'' once more. A telegram from Milan
need that Mr.. Francis Westwlek
w., arrive in Venice on the next day,
~ Duld be obliged if Number Four
teen ON the first floor could be reserved for
him in the event Of its being vacant st the
time.
The manager paused to consider before
he issued his directions.
The remembered room had been last let
TO a French gentleman, Itwould be Occu-
MED on the day of Mr.. Francis Westwick's
arrival, but il would be empty again on
the day after. Would il be we'll TO reserve
the room for the special occupation OF MI.
Francis and when he had passed the night
unsuspiciously and comfortably in mo.
f3A, to ask him in the presence OF wit
nesses how he liked his bed chamber? In
this case, if the reputation Of the room
happened to be called in question again,
the answer would yindicate it on the evil
denee Of . member Of the very family
which had first given Number Fourteen a
bad name. After q little reflection the
mansger decided on trying the expert
ment, and directed that "1SA" should be
reserved accordingly.
On the next day Francis Westwiek ar
rived in excellent spirits.
He had signed agreements with the most
popular dancer in Italy; he had transferred
the charge Of Mrs. NOrbury TO dis brother
Henry, who had joined him in Milan, and
he was now at full liberty to amuse him.
self by testing in every possible way the
extraordinary influence exercised over his
relatives by the new hotel. When his
brother and sister first told him what their
experience had been, he instantly declared
that he would 90 to Venice in the interest
of his theatre. The circumstances re-
lated to him contained valuable hints
for a ghost drama. The title Oc-
CURED to him in the railway The
Haunted Hotel" Post that in red letters
six feet high, on q black ground, all over
London, and trust the exeitable public to
crowd into the theatre
Received with the politest attention by
the manager, Francis met with q diSap-
pointment on entering the hotel. Some
mistake, sir. No such oom on the hrst
floor IS Number Fourteen. The room
bearing that number is on the second floor,
and has been occupied by me from the day
when the hotel opened. Perhaps you
meant No. l3A, on the first floor? 1t will
be at your service Tomorrow charming
room. In the meantime, we will do the
best we can for you tonight"
A man who is the successful manager OF
a theatre is probably the last man in the
civilized universe who is capable OF being
impressed with favorable opinions Of his
fellow creatures. Francis privately set the
manager down IS q humbug, and the story
about the numbering of the room as a lie.
On the day of his arrival he dined By
himself in the restaurant, before the hour
of the table d'hote, for the express purpose
Of questioning the waiter without being
overheard by anybody. The answer led
him TO the conclusion that "l3A"
occupied the situation in the hotel
which had been described by his brother
as the situation of IA" He asked
next for the visitors list, and found that
the French gentleman who then occupied
'13A" was the proprietor Of a theatre in
Paris, personally we'll known to him. Was
the gentleman then in the hotel? He had
gone out, but would certainly return for
the L1OA6 u uOLc. "uCh u RAbAAN NA4aNA
was over, Francis entered the room, and
was welcomed by his Partisan colleague
literally with open arms. Come and have
q cigar in my ROOM" said the friendly
Frenchman. 81 want to hear whether you
have really engaged that woman at Milan
or not" In this easy way Francis found
his opportunity Of comparing the interior
of the room with the description which be
had heard Of it at Milan.
Arriving at the door, the Frenchman
bethought himself of his travelling com
panion. my scene painter is here with
me, :" he said, ION the lockout for mate
rails. An excellent fellow, who will take
it as a kindness if we ask him to join us.
I'll tell the porter to send him up when he
comes in" He handed the key Of his
room to Francis. az will be back in a
minute. It's at the end Of the corridor
13A."
Francis entered the room alone. There
were the decorations on the walls and the
ceiling, exactly as they had been described
TO him He had Just time to perceive
this at a glance, before his attention was
diverted to himself and his own sensations
by q grotesquely disagreeable occurrence
which took him completely by surprise.
He became conscious of q mysteriously
offensive Odor in the room, entirely new In
his experience of revolving smells. 1t was
composed Of such o thing could be- Of two
mingling e~xhalations, which were separate
ly discoVerable exhalations, nevertheless.
This strange blending of odOrs consisted Of
something family and unplessantly arc
matte, mixed with another underlying
smell, so unutterably siekening that he
threw open the window aud put his head
out into the fresh air, unable to endure the
horribly infected atmosphere for a moment
longer.
The French proprietor Joined his Eng
lish friend with his cigar already Int. DE
started back in dismay at q sight terrible
TO his countrymen in general-the sight OF
An open window. "YOu English people
are perfectly mad on the subject of fresh
airIn he exclaimed. I'VE shall catch our
deaths Of cold"
Francis turned and looked at him in as
constituent. Are you really not aware
of the smell there is in the rOom?' be
asked.
''SmeIln repeated his brother manager.
81 smell my " good cigar. Try one
yourself. And for heavens sake shut the
Window
Francis declined the cigar by a sign.
'sForgive me, " he said. II will leave you
to close the window. 1 feel faint and
Riddy-I had better go out" He put his
handkerchief over his nose and mouth and
crossed the room to the door.
The Frenchman followed the movements
Of Francis in such sstate Of bewilderment
that he actually forgot to seize the oppOr-
tunity Of shutting out the fresh air. SIS
Il 30 nasty as that2" he asked, with a
broad stare of amazement.
''Horriblep' Francis muttered behind
his handkerchief. Il never smelled any
thing like it in my hfer'
There was . knock at the door. The
scene painter appeared. His employer in
SANITY asked him if he smelled any
thing.
'T smell your cigar. Delicious! Give
me one Directly"
'EWait q minute. Besides my cigar, dc
Won smell anything e~lse-yile, abomina-
bic, oyerpowering, understandable, never
neyer-neYer smelled befors?"
The scene painter appeared to be puz'